New figures reveal how next generation of SA student teachers rate in numeracy and literacy tests

SOUTH Australia student teachers are failing to make the grade in literacy but doing better on numeracy tests.

Matt Smith

The AdvertiserApril 21, 20189:30pm

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ONE in 10 student teachers in South Australia is failing to meet literacy tests that would allow them to teach.

However, new figures show that SA student teachers are performing better than the national average in numeracy.

Federal Education Minister Simon Birmingham will today officially unveil statistics from around the country as part of a push to give parents added confidence that the men and women teaching their children are at the top of their game.

Senator Birmingham told the Sunday Mail results from a test of potential new teachers’ literacy and numeracy skills showed the overwhelmingly majority had the high level of skills required for them to enter the classroom.

“It’s vital our newest teachers have the right skills to teach and the knowledge to lead by example,” Senator Birmingham said.

“The strong results from the 2017 test highlight 92 per cent of student (teachers) passed the literacy component and 92.3 per cent the numeracy component. Through this test, we’re guaranteeing a high level of basic skills in the next generation of teachers.”

In South Australia, 90.2 per cent of student teachers passed the literacy component of the test – 1.8 per cent below the national average.

However, student teachers in SA were the third best in the country in the numeracy test, with 94.1 per cent passing.

Senator Birmingham said there was still room for improvement, with the number of student teachers passing the tests across the country falling from 2016 tests results.

“It’s vital teaching graduates have the skills to hit the ground running,” he said.

“The 2017 test results are slightly lower than the 2016 results, when 95.2 per cent passed the literacy component and 94.2 per cent the numeracy component but higher than the 2015 pilot, when 92 per cent passed the literacy component and 90 per cent passed the numeracy component.

“Higher education providers need to take responsibility for the teacher graduates they accept into their initial teacher education programs.”

Figures comparing SA results in 2016 and 2017 were not available.

Tasmania had the best results for literacy, with 97 per cent of student teachers passing the test.

Queensland and Western Australia, both 94.7 per cent, led the nation on the numeracy tests.